INITIATIVE 41 A NEWay of Thinking

The overarching goal of Initiative 41 is to create

a NEW Way of Thinking by creating an atmosphere

focused on a regional approach to economic

collaboration; with an understanding by community,

business and elected leaders that the region is

interconnected and that a success in one community

is a success for all communities.

Schedule a PresentationThe Initiative 41 team has members available to speak to organizations interested in learning more about the effort and how they may become involved. To arrange a presentation, please contact:

Sarah Van Buren, Associate Economic Development PlannerEast Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission 920.751.4770 svanburen@ecwrpc.org

•• Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission

•• Brown County

•• Calumet County

•• City of Oshkosh

•• East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission

•• Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation

•• Fox Cities Regional Partnership

•• Fox Valley Technical College

•• Fox Valley Workforce Development Board

•• Greater Green Bay Chamber

•• Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation

•• Moraine Park Technical College

•• New North, Inc.

•• Northeast Wisconsin Educational Resource Alliance

•• Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce

•• Outagamie County

•• University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

•• Waupaca County Economic Development Corporation

•• Winnebago County

•• Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

•• Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

•• Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership

Project PartnersINITIATIVE 41 A NEWay of Thinking

www.initiative41.org

INITIATIVE 41 A NEWay of Thinking

Initiative 41 was formed as a result of large-scale layoffs by Oshkosh Corporation in 2012-13 that impacted much of East Central and Northeast Wisconsin. The layoffs were a result of defense spending cuts which, in turn, created a ripple effect throughout the region as companies supporting Oshkosh Corporation also experienced significant economic hardship. This represented a negative economic impact of more than $91 million within the region.

It was recognized that to rebuild the economic health of the area, and to prevent a similar situation in the future no matter what industry was affected, there needed to be a formal effort to create greater economic diversity by increasing collaborative efforts among business, governments, community leaders, universities and technical colleges throughout the region.

To launch this effort, a team of community and business leaders from throughout the region applied for and received a grant from the Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment (DoD-OEA) to:

• Identify key industry clusters that pose similar risks Identify key industry clusters that pose similar risks • Align regional and economic workforce development strategies•. Implement strategies that would diversify our economy and reduce

the impact of future economic downturns.

The effort is to improve the overall economic ‘eco-system’ within the region.

A series of Regional Economic Collaboration Workshops aimed at creating a more cohesive economic development ecosystem throughout the region was held. Through this process, a collaborative action plan, which included an industry diversification strategy, was developed and is now being implemented to achieve regional collaboration.

As a result, key Aerospace Industry Cluster Initiatives are being developed, including:

• Alignment with statewide efforts to establish the Wisconsin Aerospace Partners which supports organizations engaged with the aerospace industry in the State of Wisconsin.

• Regional collaboration among public airports in the region.

• City of Oshkosh led initiatives including developing the region as astrong market for aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO),encouraging additive manufacturing for the aerospace and aviation industry and working with the regional aerospace/aviation industry to identify existing and future sector trends, capacity, and workforce development needs as well as developing strategies to ensure future success.

Business Accelerator and Growth Management Programs, targeting start-up companies, and first- and second-stage entrepreneurs, to enhance the business and entrepreneurial ecosystem. Through a partnership with the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, these business development programs were established including AeroInnovate - www.aeroinnovate.org, InventureXcel - www.inventurexcel.com and Growth Management Academy (GMA) - www.uwosh.edu/bsc/growth-management-academy. These programs work with entrepreneurs to develop strategic and operational plans and provide support to help them achieve their goals.

What is Initiative 41? What We’ve Accomplished

Supply Chain Marketplace www.wisupplychainmarketplace.com, developed by New North, is an on-line company directory that promotes new business opportunities for regional firms in several distinct new markets. Over 300 firms (and growing) are currently listed in this searchable directory.

Another accomplishment was Wisconsin Manufacturer Extension Partnership (WMEP) providing Direct Supplier Assistance to 31 defense industry suppliers (both public and private).

Initiative 41 is also conducting outreach to elected, community and business leaders throughout the region to highlight the importance of regionalism and collaborative relationships to realign strategies identified during the charrette process.

It’s time for a NEWay of Thinking in Northeast Wisconsin! Elected, business and community leaders are being asked to join together in recognizing and understanding the connectivity of the businesses and workforce throughout the I-41 corridor. Through your leadership, the efforts of Initiative 41 can ensure that our region is more resilient and prosperous.

www.initiative41.org

What You Can Do